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How we calculate your Housing Benefit

Non-dependents

A non-dependent is someone who normally lives with you such as an adult child, relative or friend and is not liable to pay Council Tax. They are not:

  • a joint tenant
  • a sub-tenant
  • a resident landlord, or a member of the resident landlord’s family
  • someone who lives with you to care for you or your partner, and is employed by a charitable or voluntary body which charges you for the care
  • your child and you receive Child Benefit for them
  • your partner

An amount for each non-dependent is deducted from your maximum Housing Benefit entitlement. This is to reflect the non-dependent’s assumed contribution to your housing costs. Any actual contribution towards housing costs is ignored. The amount varies according to the age and income of the non-dependent.

We will make a deduction for each non-dependent. Only one non-dependent deduction applies for non-dependent couples but this would be based on their combined income.

Non-dependent deductions for Housing Benefit

For a non-dependent aged 18 or over:

Combined weekly income Weekly amount to be deducted
£0 – 161.99£18.10
£162.00 – 235.99£41.60
£236.00 – 307.99£57.10
£308.00 – 409.99£93.40
£410.00 – 510.99£106.35
£511.00 or more£116.75
For a non-dependent who is:Amount to be deducted 
in receipt of Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)£0.00
aged less than 25, and in receipt of Income Support, Employment Support Allowance Income Related (ESA IR) or Jobseekers Allowance Income Based (JSA IB)£0.00
aged 25 or over, and in receipt of Income Support, ESA IR or JSA IB£18.10
aged 18 or over, and in receipt of ESA Contributions Based or JSA Contributions Based£18.10
aged 18 or over and not economically active (not working, studying or claiming benefits)£18.10
aged 16 or 17, regardless of their income£0.00                               
Receiving ESA IR main phase (any age)  £18.10
aged under 25, is receiving Universal Credit and has no earned income£0.00
aged 25 and over, is receiving Universal Credit and has no earned income£18.10

Highest deduction

When we are unable to work out the income of your non-dependent we will apply the highest deduction. This assumes that your non-dependent’s gross weekly income is £511 or more.

No deduction will be taken if the non-dependent:

  • has been in hospital for more than 52 weeks
  • is a full-time student. However, we could take a deduction from your Council Tax support in the summer holidays if the student works, unless you or your partner are aged 65 or more
  • is under 18
  • normally lives elsewhere

We also do not take a non-dependent deduction if the claimant or their partner:

  • is registered blind or is treated as registered blind
  • receives Attendance Allowance
  • receives the care component of Disability Living Allowance